Born at London, Ontario on 21 January 1873, son of Charles and Margaret Evans, he was educated in the schools of Delaware Township, he came to Manitoba at the age of 17 to work as a farm laborer. After some time he leased some land and worked it until 1897 when he bought 320 acres of his own. He abandoned farming in 1904 and moved to Brandon where he became manager of the Imperial Hotel. He bought the Empire Hotel in 1909. On 29 September 1906, he married Jean Riley, of Seaford. They had a son, Charles L. Evans. He was a member of the Brandon Commercial Club and the Anglican Church.